Apparatus and method for copying and restoring disk files

Patent 5535381 Issued on July 9, 1996. Estimated Expiration Date:

July 22, 2013. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Method of operating a data processing system
Patent #: 5086502
Issued on: 02/04/1992
Inventor: Malcolm

Semiconductor memory disk apparatus with backup device capable of being accessed immediately after power source is recovered
Patent #: 5109505
Issued on: 04/28/1992
Inventor: Kihara

Adjustable threshold for buffer management
Patent #: 5210829
Issued on: 05/11/1993
Inventor: Bitner

Backup control method and system in data processing system using identifiers for controlling block data transfer
Patent #: 5226157
Issued on: 07/06/1993
Inventor: Nakano, et al.

Data base backup and recovery system and method Patent #: 5404508
Issued on: 04/04/1995
Inventor: Konrad, et al.

Inventor

Kopper, David J.

Assignee

Data General Corporation

Application

No. 095878 filed on 07/22/1993

US Classes:

710/52, Input/Output data buffering711/161, Archiving711/162, Backup714/6Redundant stored data accessed (e.g., duplicated data, error correction coded data, or other parity-type data)

Examiners

Primary: Swann, Tod R.
Assistant: Thai, Tuan V.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Dulaney; Robert L.

Foreign Patent References

2-81224 JP. 03/13/1990

International Classes

G06F 011/22
G06F 015/00

Abstract

A method and apparatus for backing up files from a logical disk are described to a backup tape and restoring all or part of the files to the logical disk. Separate "backup" and "copy" buffers in the host processor's main memory are employed during a backup operation. Backup buffers hold data read from the logical disk during the sequential backup operation. Copy buffers hold data read from the logical disk prior to execution of a write operation to a portion of the disk not yet backed up. Data is stored on the backup tape in logical tape records containing either backup data or copied data. A full restoration of all files can be done in one read of the backup tape. A partial restoration of selected files can be done in two reads of the backup tape.